Ichabod Breaks Ranks With Confessionals To Promote Church and Change Conference

John Huebner, Shrinker

From:
Date: Mon, Sep 14, 2009 at 4:41 PM
Subject: [church_and_change] Looked at the line-up for C & C Nov. 5-7? Tomorrow is last day for discount!
To: church_and_change@yahoogroups.com

Here is some information about the Church and Change conference that will take place November 5-7 in Milwaukee. I think its main theme is highly important to us all. There isn't any other place that I know of to find this many creative WELS Reformed leaders presenting on so many areas of ministry Enthusiasm in which God their Father Below has obviously blessed them abundantly. Koine and others will be heavily involved in the worship services. This is special. See below for some descriptions and further below for web sites, etc.

John Huebner


Helping Our Churches Get Off Life Support
By Bruce Becker [St. Marcus, on more life support than great-great-granny]

The patient is any one of the 1,000 WELS churches that have, collectively as a denomination, been sharing the gospel with fewer people every year for the past 18 years. The good news is that there are approximately 100 WELS churches that are sharing the gospel with more and more people each and every year.


So what’s the difference between the congregations sharing the gospel with less people [GJ - surely he means fewer people] and the congregations sharing it with more? Do these congregations have different attitudes toward ministry? Different demographics? Different ministry forms and approaches? Different leaders with different gifts? We’ll examine characteristics that are hurting congregations as well as those that are helping congregations in their efforts to bring the power of the gospel to more and more people.

Bruce Becker [lately of The Love Shack] is the director of operations for Time of Generic Grace Ministry, an international television and media outreach ministry headquartered in Milwaukee, WI. He spent the previous seven years as the administrator for WELS Perish Services and the seven years prior as the administrator for WELS Adult Discipleship. Prior to his service on the denominational level, he served as the lead pastor of congregations located in Brillion, WI, and Springville, NY. He has been a respected and well-known presenter, instructor, advisor, and writer within WELS Shrinker organizations and congregations for the past 15 years, serving as the keynote speaker and/or lead author for numerous synodical or church-related conferences and publications. 

Regaining Momentum:

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Regaining Momentum: Learning from our Turnaround Churches
The goal of the Turnaround Churches project is to identify the most significant factors associated with the manner in which the Lord blessed selected WELS congregations that have experienced turnaround. What are we learning, and how might these findings benefit both our struggling and our healthier congregations?

Pastor Elton Stroh [GJ - lately of The Love Shack]
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Three Preconference Intensive (3-hour) workshops

001......Elephants, Fleas, Frogs and Me; John Branstad
002......Coach Skill Training for Leaders; Mike and Christy Geiger
003......Relational Ministries Workshop; John Johnson


Five Ministry Areas of Focus
Adult Discipleship (100)
Children and Youth (200)
Outreach/Evangelism (300)
Women’s Ministries (400)
Worship (500)

Workshop Leaders include Ron Roth [Church Growth Founder], Daron Lindemann, Jane Schlenvogt, Randy Hunter [Latte Lutheran Church Theatre, Debbie Rothe, Brian Davison, David Bauer, Daniel Dexter, Tim Mueller, Jeff Davis [Board Member, C and C] and many more. Topics include personal development, leadership, coaching, outreach, Sunday Schools, youth, worship, women's ministry. Those who lead this conference have been faithfully working in their respective areas, have learned from their mistakes and the blessings God has given them and have much to offer. All in one place!

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(borrowed from the official announcement from Ron Ash - bagman for The Core)

One day remains to register for The 2009 Church & Change Conference at the "early bird" rate. Registration fees are $200 per individual registration received by September 15, 2009; $280 per individual registration received on or after September 16, 2009.  But the early birds all flew the coop so we are extending the deadline until someone shows up. Anyone, please, for the love of Fuller, show up and help our dwindling self-esteem.

Registration fees include all general, breakout, and workshop sessions beginning at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 5, through Saturday, November 7, 2009.

You will be challenged, inspired and encouraged as a Christian and as a leader of Christians. When several hundred creative WELS Reformed leaders gather around God's Word shop-worn fads and share their kelmed ideas, that's what we expect to happen!

Join us at the Wyndham Milwaukee Airport Hotel and Convention Center Milwaukee, WI. A special "3+1 offer" will be available to congregations sending four or more participants victims. All meals are included in the conference price, but participants will need to provide their own lodging and No-Doz tablets.

Special conference hotel rates of $99 single or $109 double occupancy per night are available at the Wyndham Milwaukee Airport Hotel & Convention Center through October 13, 2009. Please contact the hotel directly to make your hotel reservations at (866) 625-3104 and mention you are attending the Church & Change Conference. But please never mention Ed Stetzer again - we mean it.

Reservations can also be made online at: http://www.wyndham.com/groupeventsnew/mkeap_churchchange09/main.wnt.

All registrations will take place online at http://www.regonline.com/churchandchange2009. For a full description of each presenter/topic, click C&C program.bw.pdf for efficient black/white printing or C&C program.color.pdf for full color viewing printing. Check out our Website www.churchandchange.org for further details.


***

GJ - I admit to improving the text a bit. I would like to see a huge turnout of confessional Lutherans, for obvious reasons.

Church and Change Lowering Their Outrageous Fees

Church & Change: Regaining Momentum
Thursday, November 05, 2009 1:00 pm -
Saturday, November 07, 2009 1:00 pm (Central Time)

Wyndham Milwaukee Airport Hotel/Convention Center
(414) 481-8000
4747 S. Howell Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53207
USA
Map and Directions

Reduced registration fees of $200 for the 2009 Church and Change Conference have been extended through November 5th!

Registration fees include all general, breakout, and workshop sessions beginning at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 5, through Saturday, November 7, 2009.

Meal functions included in the registration fee are Thursday dinner, Friday continental breakfast, lunch, dinner; Saturday continental breakfast and box lunch. Individuals attending the pre-conference programs will be responsible for their lunch arrangements on Thursday.

For a full description of each presenter/topic, click C&C program.bw.pdf for efficient black/white printing or C&C program.color.pdf for full color viewing printing.

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS: Special conference hotel rates of $99 single or $109 double occupancy per night are available at the Wyndham Milwaukee Airport Hotel & Convention Center through October 13, 2009. Please contact the hotel directly to make your hotel reservations at (866) 625-3104 and mention you are attending the Church & Change Conference.

Reservations can also be made online at: http://www.wyndham.com/groupeventsnew/mkeap_churchchange09/main.wnt

Hotel check-in time is 3:00pm / check-out time is 12:00 p.m.


CANCELLATION POLICY: Refunds will be issued with written notice provided of the cancellation to coordinator@churchandchange.org. Cancellations received prior to or on September 30, 2009 will be charged $20. Cancellations received between October 1 and October 30, 2009 will be charged $50. Cancellations received after October 30, 2009 will be charged the full registration fee paid.

One Shrinker Leaves The Love Shack--"Loved Ya in Airport!"--Another Gone From MLC

Yoda says, "Use Church Growth, Dave."

 

Church Growth Director Needed for Youth, Adult Discipleship

Rev. Dave Kehl, administrator of WELS Commission on Adult Discipleship, has accepted a call to serve as the executive director of ministry advancement for Atonement, Milwaukee, Wis. As of Jan. 1, 2010, Kehl will lead the design, development, and implementation of Atonement's overall gospel ministry so that Atonement can seize its opportunities as a multicultural congregation in an urban setting.
[GJ - Y'all pray for Atonement. Isn't that where Corky repudiated the Church Growth Movement in 1992?]

Kehl says, "This position gives me a unique opportunity to return full time to grassroots ministry in a local congregation and to freshly apply the resources and insights I have gained by serving in WELS Parish Services through my work with WELS Adult Discipleship."

Kehl declined a call from the Conference of Presidents (COP) to serve as director of Youth and Adult Discipleship in the new Congregation and Ministry Support Group, formerly the Board for Parish Services. During its October meeting, the COP acted on a synod convention resolution calling for responsibility for Parish Services to move from its board to the COP.

As a result, the COP reconfigured Parish Services, including changing its name to the Congregation and Ministry Support Group and issuing new calls to some staff, but eliminating the positions of the two pastor-trained men within Parish Assistance.

***

Dave Kehl: "Let's get this puppy off the ground."

GJ - I cannot find the Airport link on the WELS website anymore. Dave Kehl participated in that huge multi-site meeting to promote Church Growth in WELS. Somewhere that meeting is posted on this blog, but even I cannot find it at the moment.

Anonymous found the link to the Airport post.

Mark Goeglein has left Mary Lou College. According to my source, he is another Shrinker.

Hottentots and Hindus Justified Without Faith

One of 300 million gods, Kali inspired Hindus to murder innocent travelers in her name. The murdering robbers were called Thugs. They are justified, forgiven, guilt-free saints, according to UOJ.

Hottentots Justified Without Faith

J-578

"So, then, we are reconciled; however, not only we, but also Hindus, and Hottentots and Kafirs, yes, the world. 'Reconciled', says our translation; the Greek original says: 'placed in the right relation to God'. Because before the Fall we, together with the whole creation, were in the right relation to God, therefore Scripture teaches that Christ, through His death, restored all things to the former right relation to God."

F. R. Eduard Preuss, 1834-1904, Die Rechtfertigung der Suender vor Gott. Cited in Rick Nicholas Curia, The Significant History of the Doctrine of Objective or Universal Justification, Alpine, California: California Pastoral Conference, WELS. January 24-25, 1983. p. 24.[31]

Justification by Faith in the Old Missouri Synod Catechism

J-579

"#305. Why do you say in this article: I believe in the Forgiveness of Sins? Because I hold with certainty that by my own powers or through my own works I cannot be justified before God, but that the forgiveness of sins is given me out of grace through faith in Jesus Christ. For where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also true justification. Psalm 130:3-4; Psalm 143:2; Isaiah 64:6; Job 25:4-6 (Q. 124)."

Kleiner Katechismus, trans. Pastor Vernon Harley, LCMS, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1901, p. 164ff.

"#306. What is justification? Justification is that activity (Handlung) of God by which He out of pure grace and mercy for the sake of Christ's merits forgives the sins of a poor sinner who truly believes in Jesus Christ and receives him to everlasting life."

Kleiner Katechismus, trans. Pastor Vernon Harley, LCMS, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1901, p. 164ff.

***

GJ - The Shrinkers just devour UOJ because the both varieties of Enthusiasm are in perfect harmony with each other. Notice how the early Missouri catechism did not have UOJ in it, but the modern synod theologians now promote UOJ as The Way.

FIC magazine has promoted Church Growth with a heavy hand. The new issue has a UOJ article in it. Surprised?

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Hottentots and Hindues Justified Without Faith":

Do you think that in all Martin Luther has translated and reformed that he may have made any doctinal (sic) mistakes?

***

GJ - Luther wrote the equivalent of 100 volumes of the Encyclopedia Britannica, according to the Roland Bainton lecture that I heard. Luther admitted in his Galatians commentary that the errors of Rome were still in his bones. Of course he made mistakes and contradicted himself. He began very much enthralled by Mary, since Mary was central to Medieval Christianity. He continued to grow and mature as a theologian and rejected the Marian devotion of his earlier life. He prayed to Mary in his otherwise excellent Magnificat
commentary.

I consider Augustine the second greatest of all Christian theologians. He published an entire volume called Retractions.

Luther and Augustine both repudiated anything contrary to Scripture in their writings.

Synodical Lutherans repudiate anything contrary to the synod...whichever synod feeds them.

Chytraeus - Concordist - On Justification by Faith

Pastor Dave

We can peer into the thinking of the Formula of Concord authors by reading their works. David Chytraeus is largely forgotten today, but he was highly regarded in his time. His Summary of the Christian Faith was printed for a century after his death in 1600. In the following quotation, several points are made.

1. Justification takes place solely by faith.
2. Man obtained forgiveness through the sacrifice of Christ.
3. Man becomes righteous when he believes.

It is easy to see how the second point was increasingly isolated by generations of church leaders, until it became another justification. Current leaders latch onto such statements and say, “Aha! Universal justification!” They could assign any particular name to it, without fault, if they portrayed God’s actions in harmony with the Scriptures. But they do not. By isolating the act of propitiation from the Means of Grace, by forgetting the efficacy of the Word, the Kokomo advocates make a muddle out of the Gospel. They have re-introduced the Reformed Monster of Uncertainty about salvation because their real authorities are Reformed and not Lutheran.[52] Chytraeus is clear and easy to follow in his statement about justification by faith.

Footnote 52: "F. Pieper has made this point about the Church of Rome and the Reformed. Neither confession of faith is clear about how we receive forgiveness of sin and eternal life. As a result, both confessions, in rejecting the efficacy of the Word, create a cloud of uncertainty about God’s mercy. Their inevitable answer to this doubt is to introduce merit through works. Lutheran Church Growth leaders flay their disciples to the bone with the Law. Am I a good pastor? Is my church growing fast enough? WELS expected mission pastors to generate, at one point, 10 new communicants per year. Am I a good member? Church Growth pastors demand that their members bring friends to church. It is the fault of the members if the congregation is not growing, pastors claim. Church Growth statistics prove that growing churches grow from members inviting friends!"

David Chytraeus, Concordist, On Justification by Faith

J-593

"How is a person justified before God? This occurs solely by faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ; that is, freely, not because of any works or merits of one's own but only because of the one Mediator, Jesus Christ, who became the sacrificial victim and propitiation on our behalf. By this sacrifice, man obtained forgiveness of sins and became righteous; that is, God-pleasing and acceptable. His righteousness was imputed to man for Christ's sake, and man becomes an heir of eternal life when he believes with certainty that God gives him these blessings for the sake of His Son."

            David Chytraeus, A Summary of the Christian Faith (1568), trans., Richard Dinda, Decatur: Repristination Press, 1994. p. 105.

"Christian righteousness is the forgiveness of sin, the imputation of the righteousness of Christ and acceptance to eternal life. It is free, not the result of any virtues or works but is given solely because of Christ, the Mediator, and apprehended by faith alone."

            David Chytraeus, A Summary of the Christian Faith (1568), trans., Richard Dinda, Decatur: Repristination Press, 1994. p. 106.

"Scripture therefore uses these words, 'We are justified by faith,' to teach both: 1) What the reason (or merit) for justification is, or what the blessings of Christ are; to wit, that through and for the sake of Christ alone we are granted forgiveness of sins, righteousness and eternal life; and 2. How

these should be applied or transferred to us; namely, by embracing the promise and relying on Christ by faith alone."

            David Chytraeus, A Summary of the Christian Faith (1568), trans., Richard Dinda, Decatur: Repristination Press, 1994. p. 107.

Some UOJ Quotations

Let's Hear from Luther First, the Enthusiasts Second

J-592

"But outside of this Christian Church, where the Gospel is not, there is no forgiveness, as also there can be no holiness [sanctification]. Therefore all who seek and wish to merit holiness [sanctification], not through the Gospel and forgiveness of sin, but by their works, have expelled and severed themselves [from this Church]."

            The Large Catechism, The Creed, Article III, #56, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 693. Tappert, p. 418. Heiser, p. 195.

J-564

"For God has already forgiven you your sins 1800 years ago when He in Christ absolved all men by raising Him after He first had gone into bitter death for them. Only one thing remains on your part so that you also possess the gift. This one thing is—faith. And this brings me to the second part of today's Easter message, in which I now would show you that every man who wants to be saved must accept by faith the general absolution, pronounced 1800 years ago, as an absolution spoken individually to him."

C. F. W. Walther, The Word of His Grace, Sermon Selections, "Christ's Resurrection—The World's Absolution" Lake Mills: Graphic Publishing Company, 1978, p. 233. Mark 16:1-8.

J-565

"Now, then, if the Father raised Christ from the dead, He, by this glorious resurrection act, declared that the sins of the whole world are fully expiated, or atoned for, and that all mankind is now regarded as righteous before His divine tribunal. This gracious reconciliation and justification is clearly taught in Romans 4:25: 'Who was delivered for our offenses and was raised again for our justification.' The term dikai,wsij (dikaiosis) here means the act of divine justification executed through God's act of raising Christ from the dead, and it is for this reason called the objective justification of all mankind. This truth Dr. Walther stressed anew in America. He taught that the resurrection of Christ from the dead is the actual absolution pronounced upon all sinners. (Evangelienpostille, p. 160ff.)…Calov, following Gerhard, rightly points out the relation of Christ's resurrection to our justification as follows: 'Christ's resurrection took place as an actual absolution from sin (respectu actualis a peccato absolutionis). As God punished our sins in Christ, upon whom He laid them and to whom He imputed them, as our Bondsman, so He also, by the very act of raising Him from the dead, absolved Him from our sins imputed to Him, and so He absolved also us in Him.'" [Bibl. Illust., ad Rom. 4:25]

Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, 3 vols., St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1951, II, p. 321. Romans 4:25.[27]

J-566

"Scripture teaches the objective reconciliation. Nineteen hundred years ago Christ effected the reconciliation of all men with God. God does not wait for men to reconcile Him with themselves by means of any efforts of their own. He is already reconciled. The reconciliation is an accomplished fact, just like the creation of the world. Romans 5:10: 'We were reconciled to God by the death of His Son.' When Christ died, God became reconciled. As Christ's death lies in the past, so also our reconciliation is an accomplished fact. 2 Corinthians 5:19: 'God was in Christ, reconciling' (namely, when Christ lived and died on earth) 'the world unto Himself.' The katalla,ssein (katallassein) of Romans 5:10 and 2 Corinthians 5:19 does not refer—let this fact be noted—to any change that occurs in men, but describes an occurrence in the heart of God. It was God who laid His anger by on account of the ransom brought by Christ. It was God who at that time already had in His heart forgiven the sins of the whole world, for the statement: 'God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself' means—and that is not our, but the Apostle's own interpretation—that God did 'not impute their trespasses unto them.' And 'not imputing trespasses' is, according to Scripture (Romans 4:6-8), synonymous with 'forgiving sins,' 'justifying' the sinner. "The resurrection of Christ is, as Holy Writ teaches, the actual absolution of the whole world of sinners. Romans 4:25: 'Who was raised again for our justification.' At that time we were objectively declared free from sin."

Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, 3 vols., St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1951, II, p. p 348. Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:19.

J-567

"This doctrine of general justification is the guarantee and warranty that the central article of justification by faith is being kept pure. Whoever holds firmly that God was reconciled to the world in Christ, and that to sinners in general their sin was forgiven, to him the justification which comes from faith remains a pure act of the grace of God. Whoever denies general justification is justly under suspicion that he is mixing his own work and merit into the grace of God.”[28]

George Stoeckhardt, Concordia Theological Quarterly, April, 1978, p. 138. Cited by Pastor Vernon Harley "Synergism—Its Logical Association with General Justification," 511 Tilden, Fairmont, Minnesota 56031, August, 1984, p. 1.

J-568

"The chief purpose, however, is to keep this article (general justification) before the people for its own sake. It cannot be presented and studied too often. Its vital relation to the subjective, personal justification by faith, cannot be stressed too strongly. It forms the basis of the justification by faith and keeps this article free from the leaven of Pelagianism. Unless the sinner knows that his justification is already an accomplished fact in the forum of God, he will imagine that it is his faith, his good conduct, which moves God to forgive him his sins. And unless he knows that God had him personally in mind in issuing the general pardon on Easter morning, he will have no assurance of his justification."

Theodore Engelder, Concordia Theological Monthly, July/August/September, 1933. Reissued by the seminary print-shop, Ft. Wayne, 1981. Cited by Pastor Vernon Harley, "Synergism—Its Logical Association with General Justification," 511 Tilden, Fairmont, Minnesota 56031, August, 1984, p. 1f.

J-569

"The entire Pauline doctrine of justification stands and falls with the special article of general justification. This establishes it beyond peradventure that justification is entirely independent of the conduct of man. And only in this way the individual can have the assurance of his justification. For it is the incontrovertible conclusion: Since God has already justified all men in Christ and forgiven them their sins, I, too, have a gracious God in Christ and forgiveness of all my sins."

Quoted with approval by Theodore Engelder, from George Stoeckhardt, Commentary on Romans, p. 264. Cited by Pastor Vernon Harley, "Synergism—Its Logical Association with General Justification," 511 Tilden, Fairmont, Minnesota 56031, August, 1984, p. 2.

J-570

"The resurrection is God's public absolution of the entire world: 'Your sins are forgiven, all sins of all human beings; and there is no exception.' This is the meaning of the technical term 'objective justification.' The objective justification is central to the doctrine of salvation and derives logically from the facts that God's reconciliation, forgiveness, and declaration of 'not guilty' in no wise depend on the attitude or behaviour of human beings. If objective justification is denied, then it must follow that those who are declared righteous in some way have contributed to God's change of heart; justification is then no longer solely the result of God's grace."

Theodore Mueller, Concordia Theological Quarterly, January, 1982, p. 29. Cited by Pastor Vernon Harley, "Synergism—Its Logical Association with General Justification," 511 Tilden, Fairmont, Minnesota 56031, August, 1984, p. 3.

J-571

"The fact of the redemption and reconciliation of the entire human race through Christ, and with it the forgiveness of all sins for all men on God's part—which, indeed, is precisely what the Gospel proclaims, presents and gives—can by no means become a lie through the unbelief of men...even when the unbelievers don't receive it, but reject it for themselves and for this reason—indeed, for this reason alone—are lost."

Walther's colleague, Theodore Brohm, 1808-1881. Cited in Rick Nicholas Curia, The Significant History of the Doctrine of Objective or Universal Justification, Alpine, California: California Pastoral Conference, WELS. January 24-25, 1983. p. 16.

J-572

"The teaching of the Wisconsin Synod [of the old Norwegian Synod] is this, that in and with the universal reconciliation, which has occurred in Christ for the whole world—even Judas; the whole world—even Judas—has been justified and has received the forgiveness of sin. Therefore, according to Luther's clear words ("for where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation"), the whole world (i.e. every person who is a part of the world—even Judas) has become a child of God and an heir of heaven."

Gottfried Fritschel, "Zur Lehre von der Rechtfertigung," Theologische Monatshefte, volume 4, 1871, (1-24), p. 7.[29] Cited in Rick Nicholas Curia, The Significant History of the Doctrine of Objective or Universal Justification, Alpine, California: California Pastoral Conference, WELS. January 24-25, 1983. p. 2.

Missouri Synod Brief Statement, 1932

J-573

“Scripture teaches that God has already declared the whole world to be righteous in Christ, Romans 5:19; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21; Romans 4:25; that therefore not for the sake of their good works, but without the works of the Law, by grace, for Christ’s sake, he justifies, that is, accounts as righteous, all those who believe in Christ, that is, believe, accept, and rely on, the fact that for Christ’s sake their sins are forgiven.”[30]

            Brief Statement of the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod, 1932, “Of Justification.”

From Norm Teigen

Robert Fleischmann


Grant that the healing medicine of the Gospel and the Sacraments. . ."


Fraud: 1. a) deceit, trickery; cheating b)Law intentional deception to cause a person to give up property or some lawful right. 2. something said or done to deceive; trick; artifice 3. a person who deceives or is not what he pretends to be; imposter; cheat. [Webster's New World Dictionary, c. 1982]


In this essay I am asking President John Moldstad to carefully review an item on the ELS website under the heading 'Exiting Links.' My request is that President Moldstad will then ask the webmaster to remove 'Christian Life Resources' (CLR. I contend that CLR is not what it appears to be, or what it claims to be, but is a social and political organization that exists to perpetuate itself.

The ELS maintains a website for the purpose of disseminating information to the members of the synod. As a religious organization one would expect that the items presented are consistent with the policies and principles of the members who are voluntarily a part of that organization. Lutheran principles recognize that individual Christians belong to two worlds, the world of the spirit and the world of the secular.


The ELS website provides information to its readers about things pertinent to the general interest of its members. The reasonable assumption is that the items so selected pertain to the work of the church as a whole and not to the proclamation of ideas and issues that are political or social in nature.


The website includes a section labeled 'Exiting Links' with the implied suggestion that the websites listed are worthy of reading and support. One such site is the CLR.


The 'Exiting Links" listed in the ELS website site may be the individual choice of the individual (the webmaster) who has created and maintains the site. I would think that the ELS website would fall, organizationally speaking, as the responsibility of the ELS Board for Publications. That this inclusion of CLR has occurred would be the result of the ELS, to be new at internet stuff and, as such, dependent upon people who know and understand computers. These webmasters conveniently, would be able to inject an item or two from their own individual set of values and beliefs into the common area of view.


The CLR, and those who support it, would assert that since it deals with 'life' its purposes, programs, and actions are beyond reproach. The actuality of the CLR, I assert, is to foster its own designs and purposes of gathering money from well-meaning Christians and of fostering its agenda through newsletters, programs, a store, and an annual convention.


A CLR fundraiser was held in my church several years back. To promote sympathy for the CLR and to raise funds, plastic baby bottles were distributed to the membership of the congregation. The appeal was to collect loose change and to place this money in the plastic baby bottle. The injunction was to return the change-filled bottle on the Sunday designated to be 'Life Sunday.' This fund raising tactic was, I believe, right out of Chaucer's 'Pardoner's Tale' and an example of religious fraud.


The social and political values of CLR are not universally shared by all of the members of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod. Although it may be reasonably assumed that the political and social values of CLR are supported by many in the synod, it is not appropriate for the synod to publicly endorse CLR.


There are, I think, several historical examples from ELS history which would offer some guidance. I deliberately pass over the larger question from classical Lutheran theology of the doctrine of the two kingdoms as this concept is almost too well known to bear repetition.


I submit two examples from our synod's history to support my contentions. My first example is of recent vintage. About two years ago, some well-meaning members of the ELS expressed fear that the church was under attack by the world-at-large. As an attempt to educate the members of the ELS to this danger, these proponents petitioned the synod to make their political and social insights known under the guidon of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod.


Review by committees appointed by yourself, President Moldstad, resulted in this resolution not being adopted. I believe that these committees ruled wisely.


The second example from ELS church history comes from the Old Norwegian Synod. [My source for information here is the book 'A Century of Urban Life The Norwegians in Chicago before 1930' by Professor Odd Lovoll [Norwegian-American Historical Association, 1988)] Chicago was one of many places in the 19th century where the temperance movement found support. The Norwegian clergy, with good reason, I believe, went after the saloons 'with a vengeance.' The effects of alcohol abuse upon the society of the day were damaging and wide-spread.


There was good reason for Norwegian-Lutherans to support the temperance movement but there were other reasons for the Norwegians not to participate. President H.A. Preus ruled, wisely, I think, that the temperance society 'undermined congregational unity and ministerial authority.' One of the main objections to [an individual congregation being a part of the temperance movement] was that "its existence was its independent status outside the congregation's control."


I think that the lesson from these two historical examples is as follows. What a group of individual Christians think is important in the secular arena is their own opinion. The social and political opinions of certain interest groups within the synod are not properly expressed as being representative of the entire Evangelical Lutheran Synod . Secondly, if the church doesn't control an organization, then it can potentially undermine the unity and ministerial authority of the church.


As a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod by virtue of my membership at King of Grace Lutheran Church, I must tell you that I do not need any (well-meaning, to be sure) individual or group of individuals to tell me what I should think or not think about items in the public square. As a member of the ELS I do not want my church body to represent itself as a supporter of a non-church controlled secular organization (i.e. CLR) that wishes to disseminate its information to an unsuspecting public.


I am asking you to remove CLR from the ELS website.


It is not enough, President Moldstad, for CLR to be publicly endorsed and supported for its stance on 'life' issues. The synod need not be a conduit for the political and social views of those who think that a certain civil issue is worthy of church endorsement. The solution proposed by these proponents ignores the purpose of the church's very existence.


I offer, in conclusion, the words from today's prayer from the Treasury of Daily Prayer: "Almighty God, our Father, Your blessed Son called Luke the physician to be an evangelist and physician of the soul. Grant that the healing medicine of the Gospel and the Sacraments may put to flight the diseases of our souls that will willing hearts we may ever love and serve You; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever."


Norman Teigen
October 18, 2009
normanteigen@gmail.com

***

GJ - CLR (nee WELS Lutherans For Life) started because they could not be in fellowship with the LCMS Lutherans For Life. Now CLR is both secular and generic Protestant.

One Biblical issue would be "husband of one wife," if one claims to be on the ministerial roll.

Here is an interesting story about a Planned Parenthood director who is now a pro-life activist.

Parachurch organizations are obviously out of control in ELS/WELS - just look at all the offshoots of Church and Change, which claim to be ELS/WELS yet operate on their own.

Synodical Lutherans or Confessional Lutherans

Busta was recently canned because he was not drawing enough prospects to the Sneaker Service.
One WELS layman wisely distinguished between Confessional Lutherans and Synodical Lutherans.

Synodical Lutherans owe their allegiance to a visible institution. Synodical Lutherans cannot resolve any doctrinal problems because they endlessly circle around the previous papers of their own pastors. To disagree with a paper suggests that the synod is fallible, and Holy Mother Synod never errs.

Synodical Lutherans cannot find fault with any of their drinking buddies, who lay up treasures for themselves at synodical headquarters by getting blasted in school. "He's not a false teacher. I drank a lot of beer with him in school." - A steward of the mysteries of God need not be found faithful, only bibulous.

Synodical Lutheran often look like they just got a free package of Olestra Ritz crackers in the mail and could not resist trying a sleeve.

Confessional Lutherans start and end with sound doctrine. They do not put their trust in princes or institutions.

WELS Kokomo Cats Are Guilt-Free Saints in Hell - Seriously - Ask Sig Becker and J. P. Meyer

The Kokomo Statements, 1979

J-580

I. "Objectively speaking, without any reference to an individual sinner's attitude toward Christ's sacrifice, purely on the basis of God's verdict, every sinner, whether he knows it or not, whether he believes it or not, has received the status of saint."

II. "After Christ's intervention and through Christ's intervention God regards all sinners as guilt-free saints."

III. "When God reconciled the world to Himself through Christ, He individually pronounced forgiveness to each individual sinner whether that sinner ever comes to faith or not."

IV. "At the time of the resurrection of Christ, God looked down in hell and declared Judas, the people destroyed in the flood, and all the ungodly, innocent, not guilty, and forgiven of all sin and gave unto them the status of saints."[34]

Footnote 34: "Every one of the statements can be understood correctly, even though one must swallow a little hard to accede to the fourth [Kokomo Statement]." Sigbert Becker, "Objective Justification," Chicago Pastoral Conference, WELS, Elgin, Illinois, November 9, 1982, unpaginated.

The letter sent to the two families quoted the statements and declared that the families were being expelled for denying those statements. Certain people have tried to confuse the issue by claiming the statements were made up by the expelled families to parody WELS doctrine. Three statements are almost verbatim from J. P. Meyer’s Ministers of Christ, now out of print. The fourth statement came from a controversy in the 19^th century but was added by Pastor Papenfuss to the previous statements from J. P. Meyer. Although WELS has often backed away from the Kokomo statements, the synod continues to defend the content and reproduce the most obnoxious falsehoods found in them. The Evangelical Lutheran Synod teaches Kokomo justification in their seminary. After a layman wrote to Bethany Seminary professor John Moldstad Jr., the following statements appeared in the Evangelical Lutheran Synod Lutheran Sentinel:

J-581

“When Paul uses the word ‘reconciling’ here, [2 Corinthians 5:19] he clearly means that forgiveness of sins is really imputed to ‘the world.’

            John Moldstad, Jr., “I have heard some Lutherans say they do not believe the Bible teaches objective justification. How can they assert this and still call themselves ‘Lutheran’?” Lutheran Sentinel, October, 1996, p. 11.[35]

Footnote 35 says - "The alleged question sets a record for being prejudicial. The typical ELS member would never say something so idiotic, since most Lutherans react in shock and disbelief to the very concept Moldstad is trying to promote, that forgiveness comes without the Word, without repentance, without the Means of Grace, without faith. The article is a response to Dr. Peter Moeller questioning the validity of Objective Justification, enclosing articles on the topic from Pastor Vernon Harley. Moldstad sent a long, friendly letter to Moeller on August 6, 1996."

***

GJ - Not surprisingly, the Central Southern Babtist District of WELS is having a doctrinal confab to promote Kokomo Justification. I wrote before that some pastors tried to do this at another gathering, and the layman ate their lunch, doctrinally speaking.

This April meeting is a great opportunity to watch, listen, and confront false doctrine. All the CG gurus love Kokomo Justification (UOJ) because the Pietistic error simply erases all need for sound doctrine. It is the Olestra of Christian doctrine, because no one can absorb it - including the UOJ Stormtroopers themselves.

Olestra was invented by certain chemistry wizards so people could eat fatty foods all day and not gain weight. Olestra cannot be used by the body. I know people who tested it by eating Olestra snacks, not realizing what the body does to indigestible food. To spare the readers, let me simply observe that the results were immediate, volcanic, and long-lasting.

Walther's Law and Gospel has many good insights in it, especially when he quoted Luther. Nevertheless, his Luther lectures also touch on UOJ, which remains like an alien lump in a good book. Synodical Lutherans jump at the suggestion that Walther might have erred in his Human Nature, although they are quick to pan Luther.

Likewise, Valleskey stumbled badly trying to blend UOJ with his hodge-podge of Christian doctrine in We Believe, Therefore We Speak.

No one can make sense out of UOJ, so they leave the statements alone - like Delphic oracles, to be understood differently by each person. Some hear the Atonement, so UOJ is the Atonement (contrary to the facts). Others hear Universalism (they are condemned as trouble-makers). Still others hear Gospel Reductionism, another form of Universalism. Those people are the best Shrinkers, but they are cautioned not to use an ELCA/Seminex term like Gospel Reductionism. No, far better to cloak this Misthaufen with confusing doctrinal terms.

Many times a summary statement gives away the agenda, thus in FIC:

"Faith: the personal touch
Through the work of the Holy Spirit, we are personally justified, as we are given the gift of faith.

Author: Jon D. Buchholz

God loves all people. Jesus died for all people. God’s verdict of “not-guilty” stands for all people.

But not all people are going to heaven."

DP Buchholz has tried to clean up Kokomo, but that is like cleaning up after Olestra - difficult, painful, and ultimately a failure.

Notice two characteristics of Kokomo - "the verdict" (which is Walther's absolution of the entire world) and "personal justification" (which implies Objective Justification, another term for everyone absolved without faith).

Like all false doctrine, and the most effective lies, UOJ begins with some facts and twists them. Christ did die for the sins of the world. That is the Atonement, the Reconciliation, the message of the Gospel. But that cannot be blended with forensic justification in the same breath.

Forensic justification is a term from the Reformation, meaning that God declares the individual believer forgiven of his sins. When the pure Word of God is preached, the Gospel treasure is distributed by the Holy Spirit and received in faith by individuals. We use the term Means of Grace to summarize God's use of the Word and Sacraments to convey Christ and His Atonement to us.

Grace cannot come to people without the Means of Grace, because God has appointed those instruments to do His work and give us confidence in His mercy.

The UOJ advocates continue to claim that God has absolved the entire world--given everyone grace--without the Means of Grace, so their opinion is pure Enthusiasm. I can find that opinion in Walther's Easter absolution sermon and in the work of Halle Pietists, but I cannot find that insight in the Scriptures, Luther, the Book of Concord, or any source before the era of Pietism.

UOJ Stormtroopers try to wiggle out of Enthusiasm by using rationalism. "Christ took on our sins on the cross, so that made everyone righteous the moment He died." (Or they misuse Romans 4:24-25 to say - at His resurrection. Now they combine the two because I have chided them about the Moment of World Absolution.)

They cannot hide their rationalism by calling it Gospel. The Scriptures simply do not say that the world became sin-free the moment Christ died, alternatively the moment He rose from the dead, or in the new combo - the moment He died and rose again.

The double-justification scheme comes from the Wood translation of Knapp, the Halle Pietist. Was Wood a Lutheran? No. Was Knapp a doctrinal Lutheran? Hardly. Knapp was not even an orthodox Trinitarian. He believed that the Trinitarian confession of the Church was at odds with the first era of Christianity.

George Christian Knapp's double-justification scheme was in print before Walther landed in America. Knapp was not an orthodox Trinitarian.

Once again, the Unitarian-Universalists have donated a book to Harvard about Knapp, who agreed with them! Your precious advocate of Objective and Subjective Justification provided a historical argument for Unitarianism. To this effect I will quote the authority of George Christian Knapp an eminent Trinitarian writer, whose " Lectures on Christian Theology," as translated by Leonard Woods, Jr., are a standard work with Trinitarian believers. After a full and learned discussion of the whole subject, he distinctly admits that it is " impossible to prove the agreement of the earliest Christian writers with the common Orthodox doctrine as established in the fourth century." Vol. I. pp. 294, 299, &c.

Frog in the Latte

L has left a new comment on your post "Characteristics of False Teachers":

Pr. GJ,

Thank you for the Luther quotes. Luther was prophetic when he said about being treated like dogs and foot-rags.

When I was in Charismania, our pastors treated us that way. When you question them - even ask them for clarification on their teachings, you are being a trouble maker. It was very rare to have a pastor treat you as an honest inquirer and those that do, just dismiss your questions.

LPC

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "A Comment So Clueless, It Deserves a Special Post":

I think the pictures are funny, who cares where you got them - unless they're copyrighted. Can you please explain the term "shrinker"? I'm not familiar with this term. Thanks!

***

GJ - I use the term Shrinker because these people come from the Church Growth Movement. That started with Donald McGavran, a non-theologian, claiming "God wants His church to grow." That was a clever ruse to get disarm anyone who objected to his wacko anti-Biblical concepts. The Scriptures say, "God wants His church to teach the pure Word - He will accomplish His will through that Word alone."

The Shrinker designation fits because the Church Growth gurus have reduced the size of WELS, year after year, after promoting their ideas based on statistics and fear. "We're dying. We are losing our youth. We need rock Seeker Services. Quick, before it's too late!" The only Growthers are those who trust the pure Word in the Means of Grace, but that implies God can manage things better than C. Peter Wagner and Larry Olson.

All the Shrinkers have their trotters in trough, oinking their buddies over to grab everything before it is too late.

Go to L for insights about the dictatorial Pentecostal, charismatic, and Shrinker pastors. They are all Law, but it is man-made law. Their despotic behavior is interrupted only by their scandalous behavior.

Copyright is an interesting issue. Everything published is protected by informal copyright. I could go around saying, "You cannot copy my material. It is copyrighted." Stadler did that with his feminist exegesis, years ago. But wait - precious few copy my work verbatim, perhaps for fear of being napalmed by the Shrinkers.

Just to show how contrary I am - I welcome copying and I make all my books available on Lulu.com as free downloads.

The copyright issue is important when someone uses protected work and tries to make money from it. A good example would be Parlow/Kelm copying someone's sermons and collecting a salary for giving another person's sermon.

Fair use means that printed material can be copied for non-profit use. Google wants me to run ads, but I do not. Non-profits cannot get away with xeroxing materials to escape paying for sheet music and protected hymns. Anyone can quote for review purposes, scholarly purposes, etc.

Groeschel has set his Life TV site to allow people to use his materials. Anyone can sign up, as Ski and I did, to download Groeschel sermons, videos, graphics, etc. That is why Ski's sermon titles (often shared with Glende) will show up all over the Net. Not to worry - I do not use Groeschel material myself, except to show how often it is copied in WELS by lazy belly-serving pastors.

You will also see Rick Warren's Purpose-Driven (TM) material all over WELS, because an arrangement was made with his business interests to regurgitate Saddlesore nonsense. Missouri apes Warren, too.

I actually stopped at Warren's church with Mrs. Ichabod and listened to him for a few minutes. Do not worry WELSians - I did not pray. The man is a pathetic clown in loud shirts. I feel sorry for anyone taken in by his alleged charisma.

Can the WELS/Chicanery Marriage Be Saved? Let's Hope Not!

The WELS/Chicanery marriage cannot last much longer.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Reformation Is Possible When Lutherans Lead With D...":

You are right. I love to hear our Pres. Schroeder and all he has to say about the Doctrine of the Cross and keeping WELS on the confessional straight and narrow. What I don't understand is how the Church and Change group is allowed to meet and assemble to basically do the opposite and undermine what Pres. Schroeder just reported at the convention this past summer. It's all very confusing and it makes the WELS look like they are speaking out of both sides of their mouth. It's one way or the other- either/or. You cannot have both factions under the same tent or umbrella. The question is.... which is it? Which way will the lot be cast?

---

Another WELS layman:

I wonder what Mequon is teaching future pastors about faith and works. The Shrinkers hate Ichabod because you quote Luther, the book of concord, and other confessional Lutherans (notice I did not say synodical Lutherans). We have the Word and plenty of the above mention to quote. They instead quote every thing or everybody that is not Lutheran. They are the enemy within. They really hate their own synod. Notice how they drop the Lutheran name whenever given the chance. Names like pilgrim, crosswalk, the core. SP Schroeder has his work cut out. How this comes out in the next few years will be something to watch. I guess the question should be will synodical (WELS) Lutherans turn back to confessional Lutheranism or go the way of ELCA and the Anglicans. Join Rome or they become non denominational (Baptist like).

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Can the WELS/Chicanery Marriage Be Saved? Let's Ho...":

Ditto.

In my opinion, just by virtue of the fact that the Church and Change crew would choose to continue to hold its alternative convention, it's a slap in the face and a thumb of the nose to everything Pr. Schroeder is trying to accomplish. There are only two options. Yes, either you agree that our synod should strive to be a confessional Lutheran church, holding to Christ's teaching as recorded in the Holy Bible or you don't. It's black and white.

***

GJ - Confessional Lutherans should part with a few dollars and attend the Enthusiasm convention hosted by Church and Change this week. If the Southern Baptists had a parachurch group devoted to promoting infant baptism, the Real Presence, and the efficacy of the Word in the Means of Grace, the smell of boiling tar would chase that opposition group out of town.

I wrote before - do not look for officials to do the right thing - do it yourself with polite but firm emails, letters, phone calls, and conversations with the false teachers and with their enablers, the Doctrinal Pussycats.

At the same time, encourage those who are applying the Word of God and the Confessions.

A Comment So Clueless, It Deserves a Special Post

Why are there no objections about false doctrine from WELS leaders?

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Characteristics of False Teachers":

Did you get permission to use the wolf in sheep clothing picture? It's not your own creation, copy and paste works well for you huh? (<--English 101 needed) The site it came from also contains sexually explicit material. Thought your readers might like to know where you find your images from.

***

The picture is clearly credited, unlike the sermons of the WELS Chicaneries: Ski, Kelm, Parlow, Doebler, et al. I imagine the print was hard to see, with a beam lodged in one's eye - eh, Anonymous?

Most photos are PhotoShopped by me or by stealthy contributors. Most people accept that as a new creation. No one outside of the Shrinker movement has complained. From them I get threats of lawsuits, etc. Ho hum.

I obtained the previous photo from putting "wolf in sheep's clothing" in Google images. I have several that I use from time to time, to illustrate the crafts and assaults of Church and Change. Almost all my photos come from adding "funny" to a particular image name. That is how I found the LolCats site and the parallel dog site. They are also marked at the bottom.


This clueless Pharisee seems to know a lot about StrangeCosmos. He may do as much for that URL as the MLC did for Fire Island. But no, I never go to that site. Sorry to disappoint his prurient interests.

Many Lutheran images will now show up in Google as pointing to Ichabod. That probably drives traffic, since I also look up sites using images I want to kelm.

My BoyScout detector reads the following for his comment:
1. Former WELS school student? - Yes.
2. Expelled from NWC for excessive drinking? - Was that even possible?
3. Son of a Shrinker? - Very probable.
4. Name? - They are all pretty much the same.

Characteristics of False Teachers

God wants His church to grow, seriously. I will show you how.
It will take a lot of money, trust me.

Luther says this about false teachers:

False Doctrine Tolerated

"And such false teachers have the good fortune that all their folly is tolerated, even though the people realize how these act the fool, and rather rudely at that. They have success with it all, and people bear with them. But no patience is to be exercised toward true teachers! Their words and their works are watched with the intent of entrapping them, as complained of in Psalm 17:9 and elsewhere. When only apparently a mote is found, it is exaggerated to a very great beam. No toleration is granted. There is only judgment, condemnation and scorn. Hence the office of preaching is a grievous one. He who has not for his sole motive the benefit of his neighbor and the glory of God cannot continue therein. The true teacher must labor, and permit others to have the honor and profit of his efforts, while he receives injury and derision for his reward."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VII, p. 110f. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9. Psalm 17:9.

God Punishes Ingratitude by Allowing False Teachers

"In the second place such teachers are disposed to bring the people into downright bondage and to bind their conscience by forcing laws upon them and teaching works-righteousness. The effect is that fear impels them to do what has been pounded into them, as if they were bondslaves, while their teachers command fear and attention. But the true teachers, they who give us freedom of conscience and create us lords, we soon forget, even despise. The dominion of false teachers is willingly tolerated and patiently endured; indeed, it is given high repute. All those conditions are punishments sent by God upon them who do not receive the Gospel with love and gratitude."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VII, p. 111. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9. John 5:43.

False Teachers Flay Disciples to Bone

"In the third place, false teachers flay their disciples to the bone, and cut them out of house and home, but even this is taken and endured. Such, I opine, has been our experience under the Papacy. But true preachers are even denied their bread. Yet this all perfectly squares with justice! For, since men fail to give unto those from whom they receive the Word of God, and permit the latter to serve them at their own expense, it is but fair they should give the more unto preachers of lies, whose instruction redounds to their injury. What is withheld from Christ must be given in tenfold proportion to the devil. They who refuse to give the servant of truth a single thread, must be oppressed by liars."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VII, p. 111f. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9.

Avarice in False Teachers

"Fourth, false apostles forcibly take more than is given them. They seize whatever and whenever they can, thus enhancing their insatiable avarice. This, too, is excused in them."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VII, p. 112. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9.

They Lord It Over Us

"Fifth, these deceitful teachers, not satisfied with having acquired our property, must exalt themselves above us and lord it over us...We bow our knees before them, worship them and kiss their feet. And we suffer it all, yes, with fearful reverence regard it as just and right. And it is just and right, for why did we not honor the Gospel by accepting and preserving it?"
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VII, p. 112. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9.

We Are Dogs and Foot-Rags

"Sixth, our false apostles justly reward us by smiting us in the face. That is, they consider us inferior to dogs; they abuse us, and treat us as foot-rags."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VII, p. 112. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9.

Reformation Is Possible When Lutherans Lead With Doctrine and Honesty

WELS President Mark Schroeder

WELS elected Mark Schroeder as Synod President over two years ago. I am skeptical about elections and conventions, especially since Gurgle was the dream candidate of the conservatives about 16 years ago.

Gurgle retired suddenly and resurfaced at the Headquarters of Church and Change/South, paid from the reduced salaries of staff at Holy Word. Who says Don Patterson isn't a nice guy?

Schroeder has shown himself to be a doctrinal leader. Many high-flying Shrinkers have had their wings clipped for good. When Schroeder speaks, confessional Lutherans take heart and Changers squirm.

Parish pastors know that their influence does not really take hold for about five years. Institutional leaders seem to have more immediate impact, but they probably feel like the captain of the Titanic, trying to remedy a situation with too little time left.

If the synod studies the Bible and the Book of Concord for the next few years, applying the lessons learned, great blessings will follow. Enthusiasm cannot exist side by side with the Means of Grace. One must expel the other, as the Shrinkers have shown with their excuses for having no communion services - not to mention their cloaking and deceiving about being Lutheran.

The lowpoint of WELS will be remembered as the time when the word Lutheran was dropped from WELS Lutherans For Life, the new hymnal, the magazine, campus ministries like Point of Grace, the TV show starring Mark and Avoid Jeske, and many new congregations. The issue is not the word itself, but the spirit of Zwingli behind it. The Shrinkers want the worldly success of those frauds they covet and emulate. The Chicaneries are so possessed by carnal desires that they copy verbatim the sermons--even the emails--of their Reformed heroes.

Luther and Zwingli cannot co-exist as doctrinal leaders. "Du hast einen anderen Geist," (Translation for Mequon graduates - "You have another spirit.") Luther said, when he refused to shake Zwingli's hand. Zwingli rejected the Real Presence while Luther emphasized the Biblical teaching of the efficacy of the Word.

Luther did not start the Reformation. The Word of God ignited the underbrush that had accumulated for centuries. Luther proclaimed the Word and accepted the consequences. Thirteen years after the 95 Theses, he was advised not to be present at the Diet of Augsburg, because he might have been seized and burned at the stake. I wonder how many Lutheran pastors today would live with a death sentence over their heads for 13 minutes, let alone 13 years.

The same problem has repeated itself in each generation. Lutheran pastors were forced to accept the Prussian Union - denial of the efficacy of the Word, the Real Presence, baptismal regeneration - all for the sake of outward peace and unity.

The Definite Synodical Platform and "American" Lutheranism were new versions of the same old compromises with the Reformed.

Church and Change is a WELS institution set up to promote Zwinglian doctrine. One only has to look at its stars, board members, and parachurch offshoots to see the bitter fruit of such endeavors. The Shrinkers charge money to have people come to have their doctrine changed to Zwingli's and Calvin's. WELS members even paid to hear space cadet Leonard Sweet, a United Methodist New Ager.

November 5-7, Church and Change wants to Regain the Momentum lost since their man Gurgle was ousted, the horse and his rider tossed into the sea. What a beautiful way to celebrate the Reformation - to have a conference devoted to Reformed doctrine and practice.

Just look at their Resources.

Or Post-Modernism.

Comparative Theology is still misspelled. Check it out.

Various Enthusiasm projects, including Doebler's Church From Scratch.

Try the Link Suggestion. I suggested the Book of Concord site, leaving this note: "This is a book you have never opened, or, if you did, you tossed it. Maybe you buried it under your Zwinglian books. The Book of Concord is our best manual for studying the Bible. All your theories and practices are thoroughly rejected by the Concordists. Repent and believe in the Gospel."

Many want to mark and avoid this conference. But even an old hidebound Bronze Age Missourian like Pieper said it was proper to go and observe false teachers at work. How else can one write effectively about them?

At the Changer conference, I would count the Doctrinal Pussycats in attendance. They are the enablers and protectors of the Shrinkers. I would do a census of Jeske Corp - Ski, Bishop Katie, Lampe, Becker, and His Grace. I would look for the foxes of Appleton - Parlow, Kelm, Glende, Ash, Witte. I would observe the reactions of the audience and the content of the presentations.

The strength of this blog is not my writing, but the information supplied from across the US. Lutherans know they can raise issues here without getting Sisera Counseling from their brothers in the faith. In many cases, one person will be cut off from the Shrinker source but another one will supply the same materials. Stealth works both ways. I imagine Shrinker meetings now invoke secrecy more frequently than the Holy Trinity. WELS once pronounced anathemas on leakers after I sent Corky's 1992 essay to Christian News for publication.

KJV Judges 4:21 Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died. 22 And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples.

Reason Enough To Post

John has left a new comment on your post "Two Study Bibles, Almost Identical Titles":

Rev. Jackson,

I am not a learned person.

I am drawn to many of your posts, especially those on Justification. You back most posts up with thoughtful references that a reader can checkout for himself.

You speak of Justification in exactly the same terms as I was taught it in my youth.

You are, however totally missing the mark regarding THE LUTHERAN STUDY BIBLE.

Your posts on TLSB are simply digs at both the LCMS and the ELCA, and show that you have not cracked the cover of either The Lutheran Study Bible or Lutheran Study Bible.

The blog is, of course yours. You are free to post anything on it that you like and anyone who doesn't agree can take a hike. I get it.

What I am saying is that I respect your posts because you indicate your research and experience in most of them. That equals credibility.

Your comments on the two different Lutheran study Bibles, however show a total lack of any research into either of the books and give no insight to your readers who may be wondering about them.

We Lutherans have had to put up with reformed study Bibles forever, depending on our pastors to sort out the drek (sic - Dreck). Two 'Lutheran' study Bibles come out in the same year. I, for one was hoping for your usual, studied, informed comments. We get only sarcasm directed at ELCA and LCMS.

Again, this is your blog and you are certainly free to print anything you wish. In this instance, though I shall seek the counsel of one who has actually researched these two Bibles and is able to speak from that perspective.

I pray that you will bring your assessment of these two books up to the same level as your assessment of subjects such as Justfiication (sic).

God bless!!

Jack

***

GJ - I do not need to do any research on ELCA publications, especially Biblical ones. ELCA has a consistent Unitarian perspective on everything, so there is no need to do research there. They owned a number of copyrights they were glad to get rid of - Lenski, Sasse. The scholarly publications of Fortress used to make a big impact on the academic world, because they were well done (Barth, Tillich biographies) but that was decades ago. If John/Jack wants to buy the ELCA version and mail it to me, I will look it over and use it later for kindling.

I find the constant promotion of the Translation Du Jour wearisome. The English language does not change every week, so we hardly need 500 translations of the same Bible. How does anyone sort out the differences in text and language?

I linked a review to the CPH effort a few weeks ago. Paul McCain has not sent me my free review copy, so I have not seen his version. The blogger who had his own copy said the pages were so thin the print showed through - not good planning for someone "abolutely" crazy about fonts, etc (McCain). 

I brought up Missouri and ELCA working together because the issue is serious, not something to be overlooked by jaded moderns. I am afraid that Missouri now wants to be the LCA of the past - ordination of women, open communion, anything goes doctrine,  and welcoming Masons if they can find one under the age of 80, but none of that crazy stuff. Twenty years ago, the son of a pro-life LMCS activist was told never to bring up the abortion issue when he was a Missouri vicar. John Johnson, Otten's old pal at Our Lady of Sorrows, St. Louis, told vicars never to mention open communion, women leading worship, Pentecostalism, etc. Paul McCain did not want to hear that ELCA women seminarians were consecrating Holy Communion and baptizing babies at LCMS congregations. (How do I know? I stumbled upon the annual vicar boasts at Trinity Seminary, Columbus.)

In 1912, the captain of the Titanic wanted to earn a name for himself by crossing the Atlantic in record time, his last trip before retiring. He ignored all the warnings and ran full speed into an iceberg. Some think by reversing engines at the last minute he made matters worse. He did make a name for himself. People still talk about "rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic." That is precisely what most Lutheran leaders are doing at the moment.

Nils A. Dahl studied under Bultmann and defended his dissertation in Norway under Nazi occupation.

I had a great opportunity to study Biblical literature under Nils Dahl, Abraham Malherbe, and Robert Wilson at Yale. All three men emphasized the text of the Bible rather than the sterile Historical-Critical Method theories that still drive ELCA exegesis. HCM is a relic of the 19th century.

I would have more respect for CPH if Missouri had not published an NIV commentary where one of the editors (Hoerber) was not only anti-Lutheran but also HCM. I read his letters to Otten where he said, "Now that I am retired from the seminary, I can say anything I want." Another seminary professor, still active, told me when Johnson was the president, "Now we can teach anything we want."

Instead of demanding that I write a blog their way, some readers should start their own and use their real names. Ichabod is not required reading for anyone, but I hear it is read everywhere.